When should I start looking for nurseries/childminders?

[Ecgwynn]

I'm not even having the baby until April, and I'm taking a year off work. So to get the baby started at Nursery in about April 2013, when do I need to start looking around for childcare?

ASAP, April is the beginning of "full up" season for a lot of childcare providers, as schools often have only a September intake. The earlier you look, the more choice you have IMO. The day nursery where I work is brilliant, but has a 2 year waiting list for full I time. You can get in faster if you only need part time though. Mondays and Fridays are usually quieter.

I would start looking now. I started visiting for a place for DD after my 20 week scan I think. I have a march baby and it's the worst time of year for a place in nursery like inmysparetime says. They have the main in-take in Jan and Sep corresponding to their charges leaving for school. But yes I was looking for full time and I've been told mondays and fridays are easiest.

In the end, I took a place at a nursery that's quieter and I'm happy with it. But I've confirmed my DD a place at a nursery for 18+ months closer to home. So that'd be 2 years in advance for that one :)

Yikes. I had my baby last month and going back to work in June. Going to look at nurseries this week, before DH goes back to work. They all have vacancies for June (we are looking at 5). Although one did say the reason they have vacancies is that most mums round here are taking the full 12 months off work, so the baby rooms are quite empty.
The childminders we have spoken to don't have as much flexibility - they have various part time mindees and so only have certain days free.

Justabigdisco most of the nurseries have vacancies. One or two has very long waiting lists. Everyone wants to get into a few nurseries. Those are the ones you need to put your name down very very far in advance. I didn't get into the baby rooms of the really sort after ones for my DD. But got a place for her in the toddler room. (Thats the 18mo+ comment).

And also her 18mo is in September so that's probably why I got a confirmation when she's around 3mo. It corresponds to their big in-take for the year.

Start looking at nurseries as early as possible. I put DD1's name down about 9 months before she was due to start- but since then the nursery has had an Outstanding Ofsted and become more widely known. I put DD2's 'name' down when I was 4 months pregnant (taking a year's maternity leave) and still wasn't sure if they'd have a place for her! I think they have- but only for a September start as that's the only time anyone leaves.

We got last ft place at our DS nursery when I was 5mth preg!! Only looked as friend said she was looking and when we started to phone round realized ft places harder to come by

Blimey! I'm going to have to get organised! DD2 is due in April and I'm planning to go back to work in December 2012. Not even discussed the possibility of doing 4 days with work yet.

DD1 is 5.5 yo now and I managed to get her a 3 day a week place at a lovely nursery when she was 7mo on 4 weeks notice. It was the first (and only ) place I looked at but I liked it, it has a good Ofsted and it was 2 mins from work.

Then when I was offered a new job six months later and needed a new nursery place quick (old nursery was 30 mins in wrong direction from new job) I got a FT place for her at an even lovelier, popular local nursery, again on a few weeks notice. I later found out that there were other families who had their DC on a waiting list but weren't looking to start straight away. I was very lucky as the nursery preferred to fill the place (and get fees in!) rather than wait around for someone who was technically first but wasn't ready to take "their" place.